Power hand tools, such as drills, rotary cutters, rotors and the like are widely used by tradesmen, hobbyists, and others in a variety of applications. In many of these applications, it is advantageous to have the power tool, and/or a work piece attached to a work surface in order to facilitate completion of the task at hand. It is also often advantageous, to have one or more power tools and associated bits, flexible shafts, clamping tools, marking tools, etc., stored in a case which may be conveniently transported to a job site, so that all tools and attachments are readily at hand while performing the task. It is further desirable that such a case be adapted for providing convenient storage of the tools and accessories when they are not in use.
For many jobs performed by such small power tools, it is highly advantageous, and sometimes necessary, for a work piece and/or the power tool to be supported upon or secured to a work surface. Although it has long been known, to store power tools and their related accessories in transportable cases, in the past, it has been necessary to remove the power tools and selected accessories from the case and set them up on a work surface, such as a work bench or table before performing the task at hand. Once the job is completed, the tools and accessories are removed from the work surface and placed back into the case for storage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,055 to Brenta illustrates one prior approach to storing power tool accessories within a case, with the accessories being assembled at the job site for use with power tools which are separately transported to the job site.
As a practical matter, however, it is often necessary or desirable to utilize power tools at locations where no work surface is readily available. In a small apartment, or home, for example it has sometimes been necessary in the past to utilize surfaces of dining room tables, kitchen counters, desks, etc. for supporting power tools and their accessories. This is often inconvenient, and undesirable in that the surface of such tables, desks, etc., may become marred during use of the power tool, and, in any event, clean-up of saw dust, metal shavings, etc., is typically required following use of the power tool, in order to return the surface to its normal use. The extra time and effort required to assemble a power tool and accessories, and remove them, as required by approaches, such as the one disclosed by Brenta in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,055 patent, add undesirable complexity and effort to the process of completing the task at hand. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for transporting, operating and storing power tools and their accessories.